Karen Khachanov edged past his friend Andrey Rublev 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 to reach the quarter final at the Madrid Mutua Open.
Khachanov now leads 3-2 in his five head-to-head matches against Rublev. Khachanov beat Rublev in their first two clashes in Halle 2017 and at Indian Wells in 2019. Rublev prevailed in their next two matches in Halle in 2021 and Monte-Carlo in 2023.
Both players held on their service games with no break points to set up a tie-break. Rublev earned two set points at 6-4. Khachanov came back by winning three consecutive points at 7-6 and earned three set points. He was not able to convert his first two set points, but he sealed the tie-break 10-8 on his third chance.
Rublev saved three set points in the first game of the second set, but Khachanov broke serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead, as Rublev sent a forehand volley wide. Rublev did not convert his break-back chance in the sixth game. Khachanov held on his first serve and served out the win on his first match point.
“It’s always tricky to play against each other because on one side we know each other’s games perfectly because we have been training together for so many years”, said Khachanov.
Former Australian Open semifinalist Aslan Karatsev upset his compatriot Danil Medvedev 7-6 (7-1) 6-4.
Medvedev converted his second break point to take a 2-1 lead before karatsev broke serve to draw level to 2-2. Medvedev was not able to convert two break points at 3-3. They held on their service games to set up a tie-break. Karatsev earned three mini-breaks to win the tie-break 7-1.
Karatsev earned a break in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead after an unforced error from Medvedev.
Karatsev eraned two match points with his 17th forehand winner and converted his first chance to advance to the quarter final.
Karatsev set up a quarter final against China’s Zhang Zhizhen, who battled past number 10 seed Taylor Fritz 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (10-8) in a thrilling match on Aranxta Sanchez Court.
Fritz wasted three match points in the tie-break of the third set before Zhang converted his own second opportunity to become the first Chinese player to reach the quarter final at a Masters 1000 tournament.
Stefanos Tsistipas, who reached the final in Madrid in 2019, beat Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-3 6-1. There were five consecutive breaks from the third and seventh games. Tsitsipas earned the decisive break in the seventh game to win the first set 6-3.
Tsitsipas converted his third break point in the second game of the second set with a backhand passing shot. Zapata Miralles broke straight back in the third game for 1-2. Tsitsipas broke twice in the fifth and seventh game to win the second set 6-3.
Tsitsipas set up a quarter final match against German lucky loser Jan Lennard Struff, who overcame Pedro Cachin 7-6 (9-7) 6-7 (7-9) 6-3.
Borna Coric battled past Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 7-6 (7-5) after 3 hours and 27 minutes.
Another Greman player Daniel Altmeier beat Jaume Munar 6-3 6-0 to reach a Masters 1000 quarter final for the first time in his career.
